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Building a Yardage Book to "Carry" Yourself like a Professional Golfer
Gary Woodland of the United States checks his yardage book on the 15th green during the first round of The Memorial Tournament on July 16, 2020 at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio.Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images
It's not simply knowing that you hit your 8 iron 150 yards. It is far more intricate than that and that is evident each weekend when you watch the best players in the world.
From 2020 PGA Champion Collin Morikawa to recent AIG Women’s Open Champion Sophia Popov and every professional in between, the best players in the world know what their yardages are for each club from the standpoint of what they carry the ball and what the total distance plus roll, or negative distance via spin, will be.
This goes even deeper for elite players. They not only know their carry distances for each club, strategize and calculate the obstacles to navigate on the course but also bring in factors such as wind, moisture, green firmness, and more. In addition, they know what they carry each club at full speed, 80 percent, 60 percent, and so on.
That’s not to say you have to build your yardage book as extensively as the best do, but you do need to know what your carry distances are for each club and learn how to “read” the course better.
It’s important that amateur golfers looking to improve their game know which club will allow them to carry hazards, reach the correct level of a green, or what the yardage is over the back of the green if you are firing at that back pin.
Players like Morikawa and Popov don't win on golf's biggest stages just because they hit the ball well. They do so because they know the intimate details of the course, hole by hole, and plot their game around the course based on an in-depth knowledge of knowing their carry distances.
You too can use this strategy to improve your game. It just takes a little time on the range calibrating your carry distances and studying the course a little more in-depth as you play. If your course has a yardage book, make that investment. If they don’t, create your own.
The quicker you can learn more details about your game and the course, the quicker you will be on your way to carrying yourself like the best golfers in the world.
Sorrento, FL
Brendon Elliott
Director of Instruction, Freelance Golf Writer[Brendon Elliott, PGA](https://brendonelliott.com/), is an award-winning PGA Professional, player-development coach and nationally recognized golf writer with three decades of experience in the golf industry. As of 2026, he has been a PGA Professional for 17 years and has earned more than 25 PGA Section and Chapter honors for his work in coaching, education and player development. In 2017, he received the PGA of America National Youth Player Development Award. ## Coaching Competitive Teenage Golfers Through [BE A GOLFER](https://beagolfer.golf/home), Brendon specializes in working with competitive teenage golfers who want to improve their performance, better understand their games and prepare for the demands of high school, junior tournament and college golf. His primary focus is [Remote Coaching](https://beagolfer.golf/remote-coaching), which allows him to remain actively involved in a player’s development regardless of location. Rather than relying on occasional lessons or isolated swing fixes, Brendon works with players throughout their competitive journey. His coaching covers much more than the golf swing. Players receive ongoing guidance in structured practice, short-game development, putting, course management, tournament preparation, performance analysis, goal setting and the mental and physical habits required to improve over time. Using video analysis, virtual coaching sessions, performance data and regular communication, Brendon helps each player understand what to work on, why it matters and how to make meaningful progress between practices and tournaments. Brendon accepts only a limited number of in-person students in Central Florida. His priority is building long-term [Remote Coaching](https://beagolfer.golf/remote-coaching) relationships with competitive teenage golfers and their families. The goal is not simply to help a young player hit better shots. It is to help that player become more prepared, more accountable and more capable of navigating everything competitive golf demands. Brendon’s career has included serving as a head golf professional, general manager, college golf educator, career development director, academy owner and longtime junior golf leader. He founded Little Linksters Golf Academy in 2008 and led the organization for more than 16 years before selling the academy in late 2024 and launching [BE A GOLFER](https://beagolfer.golf/home). ## Golf Writing and Media Brendon is also a nationally recognized and prolific golf writer and storyteller. He is the Senior Golf Writer for [Athlon Sports](https://athlonsports.com/author/brendon-elliott) and has written extensively about professional golf, instruction, player development, equipment, golf history and the people shaping the game. His work has also appeared with PGA.com, GolfWRX, PGA Magazine, MyGolfSpy and several other prominent golf media outlets. Through [One More Roll Golf Media](https://onemorerollgolf.com/), Brendon provides editorial content, feature writing, consulting and media services throughout the golf industry. His background as a coach and educator shapes the way he writes, while his work as a writer strengthens the way he coaches. He understands how to explain complicated ideas clearly, ask better questions and connect the technical, strategic and personal sides of golf.